I too have made that 250 mile trip to Mobile for tennis - as a coach. Had to spend the night in order to play in it. Yeah, put it all in Montgomery. It would still be a hour and a half drive for my team, but that beats 4 hours to Mobile or 5 hours to Huntsville!

Not a 357 mile trip though kickin. Montgomery is in the center, Huntsville is almost in Tennessee. A lot of cities in Alabama have a "history" of doing things the correct way and hosting tournaments (soccer, basketball, football, baseball...you name it). Mark McCarter is looking for a way to keep a tournament in his city so that Huntsville can continue to make money off of the participants of it. Problem is though, for every dollar that Huntsville makes, it will cost the travel team $3 in fuel. It befuddles me how some individuals in this state can only think of themselves. I could mabe understand this if it was a teenager writing the article, but for a grown man to put himself (and city) above the other 4 million people of this state tells me just what kind of person this is.

Wow Mark....a slap in the face to the people of Huntsville? It almost sounds as if your full of yourself and that no one else in this state has the ability to put on a soccer tournament. Here are the mileage and total travel times from various parts of our state to your "historic" city (as if history doesn't live everywhere). Mobile 357 miles (5:30 hours) Dothan 295 miles (5 hours) Selma 195 miles (3:20 hours) Phenix City 241 miles (4:15 hours) Montgomery 189 miles (3 hours).
I have no doubt that the tournament that is put on in Huntsville is a well oiled machine, but to assume that you have something that no one else can match (or make better) is as self centered as you can get. It currently costs $1.25 per mile to travel in the state of Alabama on a school bus. Factor that in with hotel costs and that alone would keep my school from traveling to your "historic town".
For some strange reason I thought this was all about fairness and the players. Sounds like you just want to keep a golden egg less than 20 miles from Tennessee!

Georgia has laid off teachers for 5 days this year with a possible 3 more to come and Florida has started shutting down schools and plan on cutting teachers at a minimum rate of 10% (perhaps 20%). Other states around the nation are facing the same situation as well (those with and those without a lottery). Economist have been screaming for over ten years about government debt and rising pensions (I am a teacher). We are one disaster away from some serious bad times. There is no easy fix and no bandaid will solve the problem. Too much debt too few good paying jobs (lack of consumer confidence).

God is pro-choice. Dont eat the apple.....but he left the apple to be had. I believe that God is pro-life, dont get me wrong. But he is also pro-choice. Well said afanman. We all have a choice in life - this is just one of them. Those without sin may now start casting.....

No "person" would do this. Only a business is stupid enough to spend 3k on a sign. They only business that would benefit from this would be the casinos. I hope the people of Alabama can see what these crooks will go to to have their way with our state. If it looks like a turd and smells like a turd - probably is a turd. Go get em Bob - I got ya back!

Probably the Country Crossing owners did this. They know they are breaking the law so they will attempt to "smear" the name of an elected official who is only doing what he was elected to do - enforce the law.

Gambling does not pad the coffers of the state budgets though, just the opposite as a matter of fact. Georgia and Florida both implemented a state lottery to pay for education and then spent more than the lottery has taken in these past two years. They are now unable to pay for the programs that their states have and are cutting education even more than the state of Alabama. If you want to do education a favor in our state, dont depend on gambling or even our current tax laws, but re-write the constitution and raise property tax to a meaningful level. That is the real laughing post of our state.....our 1901 Constitution.

I am glad that the Governor is doing his job. Casino operation in the State of Alabama is against the law and I do not care who laughs at it. The people of Alabama voted years ago against this type of business and some people just do not want to accept that voice of the people. Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, the Gulf of Mexico.....if you want to gamble then go somewhere else - heck take the kids and make a vacation out of it! I want jobs in Alabama that showcase our skills and work ethic (like building planes, cars, rockets) not this crap. Gov. Riley - you have my support and hundred of thousands of others that feel the same way as I do! Run these thugs out of town and take Culver with them.